Grieve
by whenjenn
Summary: The Brooke Lucas Peyton love triangle causes more than just heartbreak.


**Grieve.**

**(AN: A OTH one-shot I decided to write because it popped into my head. Please review!)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. Enough said?**

"So you're completely okay with Peyton and I going out again?"

"Yeah, Lucas. Have fun. I'll be fine," replied Brooke. Her once warm, bright chocolate eyes looked dull. Her trademark dimpled smile barely made an appearance these days. She was tired of all the drama; she hated it. Her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend in the past, and now, here they were, back at square one. The two people she probably loved the most were going to have a happy life without her.

"Good, I mean us dating was only so you could show you weren't a slut right? Well, I'm going to the movies you want to come?" Brooke quickly turned away and declined the offer. She wasn't about to let him see, no cause her to cry once more. She had shed enough tears over him. His last statement had cut through her barriers she erected, her heart, and into her soul.

As Lucas walked away, oblivious to the disheveled state he had left Brooke in, she started to walk towards Karen's café in hopes that coffee would lift her spirits up. She gave up drinking a while ago, as the consequences finally caught up to haunt her.

When she almost reached the café, she saw Nathan and Haley along with Lucas and Peyton in there. She guessed they were making a quick stop before the movies. She was reminiscing the times when she was part of the group, the times before she became and outcast to them, a tear slowly trickled down her cheek. Oh how she wished Rachel was there to be a friend., but wishing was going to do any good, and so with one decision, she texted Rachel and with one last good-bye, and a word of thanks for being there as a rock, she ran towards the river.

The next morning, the news spread like wildfire in Tree Hill. The perky cheerleader, class president, rich girl, committed suicide. The news hit everyone hard. At first, everyone was too shocked to do anything, but suddenly, Haley went into hysterics.

She blamed herself. It was her that helped kick Brooke out of the group. She was the one that went to the principal telling him about the theft of the math exam. She was the one that distanced herself from Brooke. She left Brooke when her friend needed her, and now, she wasn't sure if Brooke even considered Haley James, Tutor Girl, as her friend before she jumped.

As Haley wept, Nathan looked at her wife, as vulnerable as ever on the sidewalk, head between her knees, shoulders shaking violently. All he could do was mourn for his long time friend, and be glad it wasn't Haley. As his thoughts wandered back to Brooke, he realized his big faux pax. He had let his friend go. The long-time friend that was by his side in the beginning – before Lucas and Haley came into his life. He had let her go.

Lucas saw his best friend and brother cry before his very own eyes. The tears were coming in his own eyes, but he couldn't understand why they weren't coming down. It was his fault. He had believed her the day before. He had believed that she was ok with Peyton and him going out. He had believed that her love no longer reached out to him. Yet, he still could not cry.

Peyton. She looked blankly at the three people breaking down before her. She would have cried, if she had any more tears, but she didn't. Enough time was spent crying for her mom, for Lucas, for Haley, for hope, and most of all, Brooke.

Rachel Gattina sat on her bed miles away from Tree Hill. In her hand sat her phone, the screen splotched with tears. She read and reread the text over and over again. The text from the only friend she had ever had. In her other hand was a photo of her and Brooke having fun at one of their shopping sprees. She refused to believe that Brooke was dead, refused to believe that she would never see her cheerful friend again. Karen had called her about the tragedy. Rachel was going to fly in for her funeral whether that little possé liked it or not. Rachel was going to create living hell in Tree Hill. She would make sure of it.

The next afternoon after Rachel arrived back at Tree Hill, the funeral was held. Most of Tree Hill High was there, along with Karen, Deb, and Dan. Her parents were still somewhere in the Caribbean. Rachel stood close to the back of the ceremony, and listened as students gave their eulogies. She was sick and tired of hearing how energetic and happy Brooke was. No one had given a damn when Brooke was on her roller coaster called life. They had simply put even more loops and bumps into the track. She stood up, and with blazing eyes said,

"I have only one sentence to say about Brooke after this one. She was a great friend; I wish more people could have repaid the favor." With that, Rachel took one last look at her friend, said her farewell, and promptly left, never to come back to Tree Hill ever again. The audience members gasped in astonishment at Rachel's words. Words from the slutty girl. Words from the only girl that had stayed by Brooke's side when her life went in a downwards spiral.

That night, Haley crept out of the bed she shared with Nathan. She lifted his arm from around her waist, wrote a quick note that told him she loved her, and grabbed her keys. She drove to the same lake that had engulfed Brooke before, and mimicked her lost friend's actions.

Nathan, hearing the car pull out of the driveway, had gotten up to find that Haley was no longer there, and in her place was a simple note. He ran as fast as he could to the lake, but it was too late. Dan was right. He was always going to be a failure. The lake was fed once again.

As dawn finally broke in Tree Hill, for the second time in two days, tragedy rippled across the small town. Two more teens were dead because of suicide. The news of his son and daughter-in-law's deaths was too much for Dan's heart. His debt for killing Keith with no consequence was finally paid.

Deb saw her husband die. He may have been mean, but she had always loved him. She scurried to find her pills, and to end the agony.

Three deaths in two days was too much for Tree Hill to handle. Even Karen, the strong single mother cracked. Brooke was like the daughter she never had. Deb was her co-partner. Lucas had turned to metal. She had nothing to live for. With one single stab, Evil took one more soul.

Lucas found his mom dead on the kitchen floor. He shed no tears. He didn't care. Nothing in life was worth living for. The only other living person he cared about in Tree Hill was Peyton, and she was the one that caused this horrible love triangle.

Peyton looked around her as the world fell down around her one more time. Maybe if Lucas and her ended it, all the commotion would stop. She walked slowly over to his house. Time was no longer precious.

Later that night, as the two teens could no longer brush away the guilt tugging at their hearts, they wandered into the night, and walked to the lake. Unknowingly, both teens stood only a couple meters from each other as they allowed the lake to end their existence on earth.

Word of the tragedies in Tree Hill swept the nation into a time of mourning. Mouth McFadden, having just arrived back from Europe went home to a dead Tree Hill. People passed each others in the streets without even looking up. He stood at the edge of the lake, ready to do what so many of his friends had done before a voice from behind him said a simple no. As he turned around, he saw Rachel standing there with tears in her eyes, and he knew that she needed someone to lean on. He would be her support. Tree Hill had fallen apart, and it had to take a tragedy like that for the nation to come together. Sure love had come through in the end, but sometimes love wasn't enough. As soon as Rachel recovered, Mouth accomplished his goal. Give the lake one last meal. Rachel simply sat by the lakeside. Her two friends had been taken by the lake. She might as well join them.

Applause erupted in the theater. Peyton had evident trails of tears running down her face. She couldn't let this happen. She called Luke and told him about Grieve. Lucas realized what she was saying and finished the conversation for both of them.

"I'm going to call the gang and Brooke. We need a fresh start."

**Hope you liked it! Review please!**


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